Bowne Beats Metropolitan with Chip On Shoulder
FLUSHING, NY -The first round of the PSAL Borough Playoffs got underway on Monday with John Bowne HS being the only Queens Class AA team forced to play against a Class A team in Metropolitan Campus. Even though the Bowne Wildcats were only a .500 team during the regular season, Wildcats Head Coach John Tsapelas wondered how Maspeth, a Class B team, earned a sixth seed while the Wildcats were relegated to the seventh seed which made them the only Class AA school to go up against a Class A. “How good is this B team that they get in ahead of me?” argued Coach Tsapelas.
If Tsapelas had his way, Bowne would not have started until Tuesday against a Class AA opponent but task at hand was to beat Metropolitan Campus. The Knights would give the Wildcats all they could handle.
Both teams had chips on their shoulder. Metropolitan Campus wants to gain respect because Class A's are assumed to be non-competitive playing on the Class AA level and Bowne wanted to prove that the assumptions are true.
There were ebbs and flows in the game for four quarters but when time expired, the Wildcats would win 51 – 48 but both teams made their respective points. Bowne was able to secure the win even without the services of their big man Teequan Holloy ’18 who was out due to a violation of team rules.
Bowne pounced on an undersized Metropolitan Campus as Richard Selembo ’18 attacked the rim as if it owed him money. He sparked his teammates to join in and by the end of the first quarter, the Knights were down 14 – zip.
A jumper by Julian Kilichowski ’18 finally got Metropolitan Campus energized but Selembo, Aguibou Balde ‘21 and Amadou Diallo ‘21 pushed Bowne’s lead 18 points. Selembo was still putting up numbers but Metropolitan Camps began an effective counter as Kilichowski kept nailing perimeter shots.
With 1:40 left in the half, the Knights were down 12. A pass from Selembo to Cherif Diarra ‘21 for the score at the buzzer left Metropolitan Campus down 27 – 13.
The Knights came out the locker room and immediately pilfered Bowne’s Mojo. Kilichowski spearheaded an 8 – 0 run that was joined in by Armin Cucunjanin ‘19. Suddenly the Wildcats lead was a mere 6 points. Selembo ended the run with a bucket but Kilichowski retaliated with a trey that brought the score even closer.
Selembo hit some big shots to re-extend his team’s lead to 10 points as the third quarter ended. Metropolitan Campus already felt vindicated as they were giving a Class AA school all that it could handle but they wanted more. They wanted the win.
The Knights made one last push in the final quarter as Jaylen Williams ‘18 powered his way to the hole for and-1. Williams and Christopher Iovino ‘18 pulled the Knight to within 4 points of the lead and with 45 second left in regulation, Cucunjanin trimmed Bowne’s lead to two points.
After missed free-throws and turnovers by Bowne as time ran down, Metropolitan had a chance to tie but missed a free-throw. With 4.7 seconds left in regulation, the Knights were forced to foul Selembo who held onto the ball for dear life. The senior calmly drained both baskets. With Bowne ahead by 3 with second left on the clock Kilichowski attempted a half coat heave for the win that bounced off the front of the rim.
When asked about the first half versus the second half, Selembo said, "In the very beginning, we were pushing the ball, we were driving it, we were scoring. After that, we started slowing down and that just dropped the tempo and they started scoring easily."
When it came to the final free-throws for the win, Selembo held onto the ball and waited to be fouled. "I can make my freethrows now," said Selembo. "I've put in alot of gym work so I can knock 'em down." With the absence of Holloy, the senior wing said he felt he had to take charge.
Selembo led Bowne with a double -double (25 points and 14 rebounds). Kilichowski paced Metropolitan Campus with 16 points.
John Bowne advances to play H.S. of Construction on Tuesday (2/13) @ High School for Construction @ 5:30 pm.
